ns? If this community of hearts and
possessions was according to the mind of the Spirit then, why not
now? We have the general precept enforcing the conduct of our Blessed
Lord himself;--a particular exhortation to it in his conversation
with the "young man"; and a most pointed approbation of it in the
case of the poor widow. We have, moreover, to encourage and urge it,
not only the example of the Apostles, but that of all those who
believed in Jerusalem. The former truly said, "Lo we have left all
and followed thee"; and of the latter it was also truly
written,--"Neither said any of them that ought of the things which he
possessed was his own". I would just remark that such conduct does
not essentially involve the institution of a common stock, but will
be effectually secured by each individual blending himself with the
whole household of faith, feeling their wants, and rejoicing in their
welfare, as his own. This sympathy of the members of the holy family
toward each other, is strongly enforced, and beautifully illustrated
by St. Paul. "Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though
he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his
poverty might be rich. I mean not that other men may be eased, and
you burdened; but by an equality, that now at this time your
abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also
may be a supply for your want, that there may be equality; as It is
written: "He that gathered much had nothing over; and he that had
gathered little had no lack" (2 Cor. 8. 9, 13, 14, 15). As then
here, the superabundance of him, who had gathered much, ministered to
the deficiency of him who had gathered little; so now, whatever the
bounty of God may bestow upon us, above a sufficiency for our present
necessities, is to be esteemed a blessing in proportion as it is
distributed to relieve the temporal and spiritual wants of others.

Again I ask--How do we evade the application of all these precepts
and arguments and exhortations and warnings and examples to our own
times? Is there in the Holy Scriptures any limitation as to the time
when the love which distinguished the primitive church was to be in
exercise? Is not humiliation and suffering, the very character of
this dispensation, as of the life of Him who introduced it? Are there
no farther ends to be obtained by the crucifixion of self and selfish
interests, and manifesting the mind that was in Christ Jesus? Let the